Legal Eagle storms home to win the DerbyTrial (JC Photos)
Sean Tarry is sitting with a loaded double-barrelled shotgun ahead of the R2 million Gr1 SA Derby that will be run on 25 April. After French Navy’s scintillating SA Classic win of last week, along comes this past Saturday’s R150 000 Listed Derby Trial winner, Legal Eagle.
A tap on the shoulder at the 2013 National Yearling Sales as he eyed a handsome son of a talented mare that he trained to six victories, could yet prove to be a very fortuitous moment of fate for the high-riding Tarry.
The man telling him to ‘buy the horse if you like it’ was leading owner Markus Jooste and R425 000, four runs and two wins later, Legal Eagle looks a serious Derby candidate.
S’manga Khumalo – rode perfectly to instructions
Fair enough, Legal Eagle only came into Saturday’s race on an MR of 76 and carried a galloping weight of 52kgs. As a recent maiden winner, he hasn’t exactly been classic-tested yet either.
But the manner in which he won on Saturday suggests he will have plenty to come.
Legal Eagle was relaxed early and stormed home at 9-2 to beat his 75-1 stablemate Stonehenge by 2,25 lengths with trainer Gavin Van Zyl taking money home again via the third placed Dante’s Legacy.
The winning time of 122,90 secs was slower than the fillies equivalent run a half hour earlier.
The Avontuur bred Legal Eagle is a son of Greys Inn out of the six-time winning National Emblem mare Young Sensation, who as we already confirmed was also trained by Sean Tarry.
He was purchased for R425 000 on the National Yearling Sale.
He has won twice with 1 place from 4 starts and took his earnings with this victory to R161 875.
Sean Tarry paid compliments afterwards to the Wilgerbosdrift-sponsored Khumalo:
“I didn’t want him placed too handy. S’manga positioned him beautifully from that draw. Let’s see what the handicappers do with his merit rating. The Derby entries close on Tuesday and we will decide then.”
